This invention relates to gowns for use in hospitals and clinics, and more particularly to a disposable protective gown intended for single use applications.
Gowns of the nature of that of the invention are used to protect the wearer, normally from contamination or infection. Various types of gowns have been developed in the past for these purposes. U.S. Pat. No. 4,612,673 discloses a gown which fastens in the front of a patient. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,504,978 and 4,586,196 disclose a full body gown which fastens behind the wearer. U.S. Pat. No. 4,608,719 discloses a disposable, pullover-type gown with integral arms. U.S. Pat. No. 4,523,335 discloses a rear-fastening gown with tie straps to maintain the gown in place.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,829,602, issued May 16, 1989, of which this application constitutes an improvement, discloses a novel protective gown having a score extending between a central head aperture and one edge of the gown so that the gown can be severed along the score and opposite halves of the severed gown secured to one another with a tape tab in order to reduce the size of the head aperture. Because of the nature of the score, however, a tape tab must be used, and the opposite halves of the severed gown are too short to be tied to one another.